There are currently more people over the age of 60 than ever before, with the number of over 60s set to increase by 50% in the next 25 years. People generally become less physically active as they grow older and these demographic changes will pose significant challenges to our population’s health and wellbeing, with significant implications for health and social care costs.

Whilst the links between physical activity and good health are well established, many older adults remain inactive. To overcome this trend, we need to know more about how different environments can enable or deter physical activity in older age. This includes people’s physical environments, such as their access and proximity to woodlands, parks and the coast, and also their social and cultural environments like ethnicity and gender.

If we can understand the competing factors that people must overcome to remain physically active as they grow older, we can help shape these experiences to help enable such a lifestyle.

This seminar series aims to do just that and will bring together academics from diverse subject areas that include sociology, psychology, geography, sport and health sciences. It will involve policy makers, health and social care practitioners, physical activity and sport providers, and those working within the voluntary sector, to explore specific issues relevant to the physical, social and cultural environments that can impact upon physical activity in older age.

Leading experts from the UK and abroad will share their knowledge and direct discussions with seminar participants. This process will advance what we currently know about the topic and also identify aspects that we don’t know about that require more research. It will also enable a large group of people from research, policy and practice backgrounds to establish a network that will share and develop knowledge in the area.